Great Falls tribune., 1887-02-19

life, and | descend towards camp. wonder
ing how my companions have fared Ar
irving there i find them both returned
with no better success than my own. IL
the evening Henry tells how he was once
camped in the mountains and out success
sively for eighteen days, hunting high an(
low without getting shot. He was Who'll
ly discouraged and just about to quit
when on the nineteenth he killed five deel
only a mile or so from camp. After that
there was an abundance of game the rest
Of the season. Such experiences are not
rare among hunters and it began to look
as if we might be served some such way
on the present occasion. The question
was whether our luck would turn before
we We're compelled to leave the mountains,
which would be within seven or eight days
at the outside.
For our next hunt John and determine
to cross the stream to another section
Of country, while Henry decides to visit
an old runway over a low pass not far dis
tant, in hopes Of striking some fresh trail,
We start out early on the morrow, John
leading the way, and after much twisting
and turning about finally get on a ridge
that leads directly up and over a jagged
peak. 1t is afternoon before we reach the
summit, from which a good scope of coun-
try can be examined. After some little
time my companion suddenly points to a
small cliff of rocks that stands up from an
open creek bottom far below and exclaims
'sthere, do you see them?" l look care
fully in the direction he pointed out, and
finally catch sight Of several blackish OBJ
jects, siowl y moving about under scatter
ing pines where the snow has been parti-
ally swept away by the wind. They are
deer feeding. We examine them more
closely with field glasses and see from
their motions that they are wholly uncon-
scious of danger. Although we are stand
ing in full view, yet the intervening space
is so great that they could scarcely become
alarmed should they catch sight of us.
Ravines run down from the. mountain we
are standing on to either side Of the knoll
where the game has been sighted, and ta
king the one most favorable we plunge
down over fallen timber, great rocks and
snow drifts, we'll concealed from view the
whole distance. As we draw near the bit
of rising ground and begin to ascend our
speed is slackened and my companion who
is ahead, keeps a sharp lookout, for if we
are caught sight Of first, there may not be
chance even for shot. With absolute
silence we advanced to the highest part of
the knoll, but nothing appears in sight
and we begin to think the game has again
escaped us, when John advances to the
side facing the open bottom below, and al
most instantly raises his gun and fires.
The deer, six of them, were in the bottom
not more than seveAty or eighty yards
away. The first shot brought one to
standstill with a broken leg. The other
i've instantly wheeled round point of
.ock, ran up q small rayine they had just
descended and past me who had Jagged be-
aind, within easy gun shot. Here was my
chance if ever. | fired twice without eff
sect, doubtless shooting too high, but the
bird shot rolled one over with bullet
near the heart. The next shot brought
another TO halt with a broken shoulder
which second bullet dispatched. By this
ime the remaining three were good dis
ance away. fred twice more, however,
he first shot missing, but taking deliber
tie aim at the leader for a parting shot
What was my qualification to see him
olunge halfway round, fall heavily, and
,ome sliding back some distance toward
ne over the crusted snow. The last bullet
lad broken his neck low down. Mean
ime John had killed the deer he had first
wounded, but did not get back to me in
ime for shot at the others. We quickly
rathered the game together in one place,
lressed it, then proceeded to kick out a
follow in the deep snow in which we pill
d the carcasses, throwing back the snow
,ver them to depth Of three or four feet.
t might be impossible to take the meat to
amp for several days and the snow would
lot only protect it more or less from any
nimals that might be prowling about but
would prevent freezing for some time, in
ase we should wish to remove the skins.
Taking nothing with US but the livers and
ne of the smallest hind quarters we were
h or4Iv ~, o,1r ,pa,, to camn wharo ua ar